In the prior art, electromagnetic energy conductors (“EE Conductors”), such as those that carry electricity, are used to carry electromagnetic energy from one device to another. For example, a signal may be sent in the form of electricity from one circuit board via an EE Conductor to another circuit board. Or, a signal may be sent in the form of electromagnetic energy from a controller to an actuator that activates a motor.
Such EE Conductors are often joined together using a prefabricated plug and socket that mate together. There are a number of commonly used mechanisms used to hold the plug and socket in their mated positions (that is to say held relative to each other). One such mechanism is a threaded connection wherein a housing associated with the plug and a housing associated with the socket each have a threaded surface, and by turning one of the housings relative to the other, these threaded surfaces may be mated together such that the housings, and therefore the plug and socket, are held together.
Another such mechanism utilizes one or more screws, each of which extends through the housing of the socket and the housing of the plug. In such a mechanism, one or both of housings may have a threaded surface to which the threads of the screw are mated, or it is possible that the screw may be held in place by a threaded nut.
A third such mechanism relies on the plug and socket housing being mated together, and then one or both of the housings is deformed (a.k.a. crimped) such that the socket housing is unable to be separated from the plug housing, except by reversing the effect of the deformation.
Other mechanisms for holding the plug and socket in their mated positions are possible. Regardless of the type of mechanism, the plug housing and the socket housing have a predetermined structure and the dimensions are carefully planned so that the features of the plug and socket that carry the electromagnetic energy from one EE Conductor to the other EE Conductor are brought into contact when the plug and socket housings are mated. Such features of the plug and socket that carry the electromagnetic energy are often mating pins and sockets that are brought together in a conductive relationship, so as to conduct the electromagnetic energy, when the plug housing is mated with the socket housing. It is often the case that the predetermined structure and planned dimensions of the plug and socket housings are such that there is very little available space within the housings once they are mated. Consequently, additional components cannot be included within the housings without redesigning the housings.
In addition, the EE Conductors along with the mating plug and sockets that join them are often part of a larger system that mandates and restricts the size and placement of the EE Conductors, plugs, and sockets. For example, when such EE Conductors are used in vehicles, such as cars or airplanes, the location of a particular plug and socket is normally planned somewhat precisely so as not to interfere with other systems on the vehicle, or interfere with a desired use of the vehicle, or to facilitate manufacturing of the vehicle. As such, redesigning the plug and socket housings may necessitate the redesign of other systems and/or components. Consequently, redesigning plugs and sockets is to be avoided.
Vehicles, such as cars or airplanes, utilizing EE Conductors may need to be modified to meet changing safety standards or to bring a system that is on the vehicle into compliance with existing safety standards in ways that were previously not anticipated. For example, the manufacturer of an airplane may decide that additional protection of its electromagnetic systems is needed in order that the electromagnetic systems are better protected from lightning strikes. In order to provide that protection it would be desirable to quickly and cheaply add a resistor to the electromagnetic systems of the airplane. An ideal location for adding such a resistor would be at the junction between two EE Conductors. However, given the restrictions discussed above, currently it would be neither quick nor cheap to add a resistor to the features contained within the plug and socket housings.